I've bought 2 razors. One has turned up the Iwasaki. I'm not confident it's "shave ready". It won't cut my face hair really, or pass HHT. I eithen got some hair and held it tight, didn't cut through that easily either.
Help :(
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I've bought 2 razors. One has turned up the Iwasaki. I'm not confident it's "shave ready". It won't cut my face hair really, or pass HHT. I eithen got some hair and held it tight, didn't cut through that easily either.
Help :(
Well you could send them out to be honed. Look in the classifieds under member services, a bunch of members offer honing.
It was bought new and supposed to be honed from theinvisableedge.com
It will cut you ok, but not your hairs. It may not be shave ready! The best way to know it is shave ready is to send it to a reputable straight razor honer (honemeister) for some LTC. Even then, if this are your first shaves, you are going to think that is not sharp (it leaves hair behind). That's an angle and pressure beginner problem.
Others factors that could affect the perceived lack of sharpness is beard type and prep, angle of the blade, stropping technic (you could destroy a sharp blade with a few bad stropping strokes), just to name a few.
Welcome to the challenging world of straight razor shaving. Fun (sometimes frustrating) and rewarding! Double O
All the same, I don't know their reputation as blade honers, maybe someone else could shime with their reputation. Let's say they sold you a true shave ready blade. Did you stropped it before you used it? Or maybe, you did like I did and performed a thumb nail test (to feel what a good bevel was) and ruined the edge? You can answere those question. If its not pulling and skipping, it may be angle and pressure or beard prep??? Double OQuote:
Originally Posted by fossala
I have bought 2 Razors (TI's) from Theinvisibleedge, both have been shave ready (superbly so)
Don't worry about the HHT; completely dispense with it; that test isn't relevant to you right now; maybe not ever; I never use it myself. The test of a razor is if it shaves you close and comfortably; that's the test. That's what you want it to do.
I didn't strop it before my first use. I have stropped it now though. Maybe I should give it a go for a few more days. I just can't see how it can cut hair on my face when I can't even cut hair that is from a head and pulled tight.
The way a beginner knows if a razor is shaving sharp, is by buying it from someone he trusts enough to sell him a shaving sharp razor, and then exercising that trust by not trying to test the edge on anything except his face. That said, I've never dealt with the invisible edge, but I've only ever heard positive things from others who have. Doing your own sharpness tests speaks more to your own mistrust of your chosen vendor than it does the razors ability. Now you've done the tests, and believe the razor to be insufficient. Shaving with it will only further prove to your already decided mind that the razor isn't sharp. Find a vendor you trust, or send the razor to someone you have no doubt can sharpen a razor. Then when you get the razor back....Shave with it. It won't be easy...You're new. It's expected.
The best option would be to choose several different vendors, and have them each hone one razor for you. Once again, the sharpness tests are still beyond you. But having 4 different people who's livelihood is in no small part derived from their ability to complete the task, should ensure you several different examples of shaving sharp. If you want four names, I'll provide them through PM. Best regards,
Justin
Possibly because the test hair is dry?Quote:
Originally Posted by fossala
That does seem odd...but then again I am not like some other wise members that dismiss the HHT completely. I will not argue the point, but it is a staple of my honing...the blade must pop hairs off my arm without touching the arm (a form of HHT) in all portions of the blade. It is a personal thing as to what *you* use to test a blade...but I will agree that the ONLY thing that really matters is how it performs on your face.
I get why many do not like the HHT or other "tests". OTOH, I have learned that if it won't pass my version of the test, it won't shave me that way I like....and still may not even if it does pass!
Did you buy the razor directly from Invisible Edge. Steve from IE posts at theshavingroom.co.uk as Spartacus, he seems to have a very good reputation there. Look at the 'dovo straight razors' thread and there's a discussion about shave readiness, he says the razors he sells pass the hht. Get in touch with IE and see what they say. I've started using a pass around straight from tsr and I am not sure if it's pulling because of the razor or my technique, though it's getting better each shave so I suspect it's my technique.
I have been talking to him for the past two weeks about what kit I should buy. He is on holiday for a week now though. Will talk to him when he gets back.
Also I want to say he is a great guy and has been very helpful.
Okay, if the other razor has been shipped I'd wait until you get that then if you still have a problem contact Steve when he gets back.
Couple of points here gents...
These posts are one of the most common posts on this forum in the beginners section...
Steve, at the Invisible Edge has a stellar reputation as a Honemeister,
Testing the razors with anything but a "Shave Test" does nothing
Learn what an actual "Shave Test" is
Most everytime a post like this pops up it turns out to be anything but the edge of the razor, so look at everything else first before you call that into question..
Take the next week figuring out your technique and then if you still can't get it down, contact the vendor
@Fossala, you accepted the challenge that learning to shave with a Kamisori was going to be a bit more difficult, this is the reason why, most all the advice available on this forum is going to pertain to Western Razors, so you are going to have to work around that..
There is very little info for real "Beginners" on a Kamisori...
Here is what I can tell you,
Get really light on the pressure, if you push they won't cut
Get thinner on the lather so it glides easier
The correct angle is going to be difficult to find, wrong angle and it won't cut
This is only what I have found to be true you are going to have to find your own truths..
I touched up my shave an hour ago. Went better than the first shave. I think the razor could still be sharper though. If I'm still having problems in a week I may send it back and pay him to have a look at it. I want to make sure he doesn't come off in a bad light, he has been nothing but fantastic, best seller/shop I have ever dealt with.
EDIT: It is catching on my hairs, that may be the angle though, no?
Here is a video I did on kamisori shaving. This may help you with some angles and what not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxdi1tjsNo8
Hopefully this is helpful for you.
Glenn
Yeah, I've watched that many times over the last few weeks... The bloke got back to me, he said it passed HHT before he sent it. I will update the thread as I progress.
I say lather up and give it a go. work on the angles. The razor is for shaving, so see if it does. Learning to straight shave, initially, with such a razor seems daunting. Perhaps learning on a western grind and taking on the Kamisori after some experience is gained would be helpful? I have never shaved with one, but stropping it might be different than with westerns too.
Theinvisibleedge seems to have a stellar reputation from what I know.
Just to be sure, your best bet is to get the razor/razors honed many of the senior members offer honing or even get it honed by lynn. Contact them and see what they charge for a honing. To test my razors to see if they are sharp or not, i do the hanging hair test. Best of luck and Happy Shaving!!!
Josip
All my razors passed the HHT until SWMBO got her hair coloured (I used hers for the HHT - very fine and red) - this completely messed it up for me - now none pass.
Small changes mean a lot in this game.
OK, second propper shave. Much better but still a few problems. I'm going to start another thread because it's more on technique than sharpness.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Havachat45
That post right there is one of the best posts about the HHT I have read...
I sorta went through the same thing when I first used the HHT I was popping hairs like a bandit, I thought Phhht my blades are freaky sharp, I am a honing God,, Then I tried one of the wife's hairs by accident and learned that the HHT really has to be calibrated or it is Absolutely useless...
OK, just tried mine, the girlfriend's and our Son's. Mine "passed" theirs didn't.
Now strop the razor and try all three again :)
Done, still the same. Mine was the only one that passed.
Sorry, but I just had this mental image of you running around the house like a ninja on amphetamines pouncing on your family members & stealing their hair.
In other news, it goes to show how subjective the test can be & while useful at certain stages, total reliance shouldn't be placed in it alone as an indicator of shave readiness.
Edit: I mean it, black pajamas, mask, slippers, possibly even an extra large w&b slung over your shoulder.
Very true...but if you use it as a component and not the end-all-be-all for judging if you are getting there, it has some value. The same is true in the world of knives...there are endless ways to "judge" sharpness, but they are all weak analogs for what is really important (how the tool works for the intended job)...all too often guys want pocket knives that do nothing other than look neat and whittle hair...that is fine, but a honking big (or tiny) burr on an edge will whittle hair like crazy;)Quote:
Originally Posted by gssixgun
That is some more data. Interpretation is always the tricky part;)Quote:
Originally Posted by fossala
[QUOTE=unit;1017752]Very true...but if you use it as a component and not the end-all-be-all for judging if you are getting there, it has some value. The same is true in the world of knives...there are endless ways to "judge" sharpness, but they are all weak analogs for what is really important (how the tool works for the intended job)...all too often guys want pocket knives that do nothing other than look neat and whittle hair...that is fine, but a honking big (or tiny) burr on an edge will whittle hair like crazy;)QUOTE]
The HHT and this thread is just one of 100's but it is a very good read and might help you understand the term Calibrated
http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...-talk-hht.html
There is another article in the Wiki that takes the term even farther, that some subscribe to...
I understand "calibrated" quite well, I used to work as a computer modeler;)Quote:
Originally Posted by gssixgun
As you point out in that thread, hair is HIGHLY variable, and my HHT-5 might be your HHT-2 depending on what hair we use as a standard. I prefer to use the artistic side of my brain rather than the quantitative when it come to gauging a blade being honed. HOW does it react to the hair? Granted, some hairs will make any edge look sharp (I have whittled hair with a knife blade directly off 220 grit). Once you get a bit of hair that works for your needs it will offer feedback that is quite useful (to me at least...since the purpose of a razor is to cut hair).
That said, I do not lose sight of the fact that a bit of hair that works well today, might behave differently next time due to a myriad of variables that can affect this "test" media. I would suggest this is among the reasons that many are skeptical of such a test...but kept in the proper perspective, I believe it has value (use it to guide efforts at he hones, assess uniformity of the apex, and do not extend this analog beyond the duration of the honing session or to other users)...I hope this makes sense...
Quote:
Originally Posted by unit
I do believe that is exactly what that thread I linked points out...
The difference in our opinion is the context of this thread,, If you read the thread you will see the part about Newbs and HHT ie: it is Absolutley Useless.. Which is what this thread is about..
Farther into the thread it will show how an HHT can be Calibrated and used in honing as you put it, a Componet of finding sharp..
So in this thread talking to a Newb that just got his very first razor, the HHT is useless, in fact harmful info (proved by his own results 1 pass 2 fail), if however we were discussing honing, in a much more advanced situation then your opinion and my opinion match exactly..
Context creates the difference
The level of sharpness necessary to pass the HHT is directly proportional to the size of the gap between the keratin scales that cover the outside of the hair shaft. The gap itself is proportional to the width of the hair shaft. The blade must easily slide between the scales to pass the HHT. This test is also directional - root away from fingers. A very fine or overly processed hair may have sub-0.3 micron gaps between the scales, while large thick hair samples may be 0.5 microns or wider. A Feather disposable DE or SR blade will pass the HHT with any hair that I can throw at it. My sharpest SR comes very close to this level of performance. As already emphasized the calibration is important. Select a normal, unprocessed hair from the same source and stick with it. My 22 year old niece has long, black, straight hair. She is kind enough to provide me with some brushed samples from time to time. If my SR passes this test I have confirmed that it will provide me with a great shave. That is a calibrated HHT sharpness test.
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